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MAKURDI – Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, has appreciated the women of the state for supporting his aspiration of being Governor, adding that without their support he would not have been elected the governor of the state.
Alia also declared all the women of the state, led by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Christie Sam Ode, as First Ladies of Benue, pointing out that due to his calling as Reverend Father, the state does not have a first lady.
The Governor made this known in a statement signed by Sir Kula Tersoo, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor and made available to Daily Independent in Makurdi on Sunday. He said, “I thank the great women of Benue state so much because if you were not there for me, I wouldn’t be standing here as the Governor of Benue State. I appreciate every one of you.”
The Governor who was speaking at the ‘774 Explode, Enhancing Gender Space in Politics’ organized by the office of National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), charged women to muster courage and contest future elections. While he assured the women folk of the preparedness of his government to create an enabling environment for them to succeed, he appreciated Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her show or love for Benue, insisting that her programme for the women have made a difference in the lives of the women.
Alia urged the women of the state to key into and also take advantage of programs rolled out for women by the state and the federal governments, among them training on ICT, fertilizer initiative and the fashion hub which would soon be commissioned.
The Governor who charged the 23 pioneer beneficiaries of the Explode programme to ensure they excel and make the state proud, also made a donation of N500,000, to each of the beneficiaries, even as he urged them to choose a skill of their choice to attract government sponsorship.
The National Women Leader of the APC, Dr. Mary Idele Alile, earlier appreciated Governor Alia for his efforts at advancing gender equality in Benue, through his appointments and support for women programmes. She further observed that Benue was the first to fund the 774 Explode program among all the APC states, and as such, deserves to be commended.
Alile explained that project 774 Explode would provide young women with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the political landscape of the country, adding that mentorship would be given to them as they thrive to become great politicians, which would increase the number of women in governance.
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